1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering column for a vehicle, and more particularly to a steering column for a vehicle which allows an actuating member and a fixed member to be smoothly coupled to each other without causing a catching feeling during a tilting operation of a steering column, prevents noise from being generated when the actuating member and the fixed member are coupled to each other, and prevents the actuating member from deviating from a coupling range of the fixed member when an adjusting lever is released or fastened for a tiling operation, increasing a safety of a tilting operation of the column.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a steering apparatus for a vehicle is an apparatus for changing a driving direction of a vehicle according to an intention of a driver, and helps to arbitrarily change a rotation center about which front wheels of a vehicle turn to progress the vehicle in a direction desired by a driver.
In the steering apparatus for a vehicle, a steering force generated when a driver manipulates the steering wheel is transmitted to a rack-pinion mechanism through a steering shaft and finally changes a direction of the two wheels.
A telescopic or tilting function may be added to the steering apparatus for a vehicle. Steering apparatuses are classified into a telescopic steering apparatus and a tilting steering apparatus according to their functions, and a tilting function may be added to the telescopic steering apparatus if necessary. Through the functions, a driver can adjust a protrusion degree or an inclination angle of a steering wheel according to a height or a body shape of the driver, thereby achieving a smooth steering operation.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a steering column for a vehicle according to the related art.
As shown, a general steering column 180 for a vehicle according to the related art includes an outer tube 100 accommodating a steering shaft 175, an inner tube 170 introduced into the outer tube 100, a lower bracket 165 fixing the inner tube 170 to a vehicle body, a mounting bracket 105 installed at an upper side of the outer tube 100 to be fixed to the vehicle body, a tilt bracket 150 integrally fixed to the steering column so that an inclination angle of the steering wheel 103 can be adjusted and having a tilt hole 110, a fixed member 145 formed on an outer peripheral surface of the tilt bracket 150, an actuating member 140 engaged with or separated from the fixed member 145, a tilt bolt 130 passing through the tilt hole 110, a cam 135 coupled to the actuating member 140, and a bush 125 and a nut 120 fixing the cam 135 and an adjusting lever 115.
The fixed member 145 and the actuating member 140 are formed to have the same pitch and the same thread height to be engaged with each other such that the fixed member 145 and the actuating member 140 are engaged with each other to fix the outer tube 100 and the steering shaft 175 while the adjusting lever 115 is locked, whereas the actuating member 140 is separated from the fixed member 145 by the cam 135 if the adjusting lever 115 is released so that an upper steering column 180 can be rotated in a tilting direction about a lower tilting center 160.
The actuating member 140 is attached to the cam 135 and a protrusion is formed on one surface of the cam 135 so that the protrusion can be introduced into or extracted from a recess of the adjusting lever 115 as the adjusting lever 115 is rotated to couple or separate the fixed member 145.
However, in the steering column for a vehicle according to the related art, a catching feeling is generated when the actuating member and the fixed member are slid with respect to each other during a tilting operation of the steering column and a sliding noise is generated.
Further, the actuating member deviates from an actuating range thereof when the actuating member is slid while being supported by the fixed member in a state in which the adjusting lever is released for a tilting operation, significantly deteriorating a safety of a tilting operation of the steering column.